Divan-bed and like convertible furniture



M. R. POMPON DIVAN-BED AND LIKE CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Aug. 19, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 17, 1955 INVENTOR m 0 m p *m w m e W W Aug. 19; 1958' R. POMPON 2,8475684 D-IVAN-BED AND LI KE CONVERTIBLE FURNI Filed May 17. 1955 2 Slieets-Sheet 2 I v mvsn'ron Marcel Robert Pom a n ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 19, 1958 United States atent bed and is horizontal in the bed position (see Fig. 2).

Two levers 13 and 14 are pivoted at 15 and 16 respec- 2,847,684 tively on the bar 10, the pivot 15 being arranged at the extremity of the bar whilst the pivot 16 is located DWAN'BED LE 5 approximately half-way between the pivots 12 and 15.

The levers 13 and 14, which are generally directed to- Marcel Robert Pompon, Paris, France wards the rear and towards the ground, are pivoted at 1] and 18 on a lower bar 19 which is roughly paral- Apphcatwn May 1955 Sena 509314 lel to the bar 10, the assembly 1618-17 forrn- Claims priority, application France May 21, 1954 .l'- ing a deformable quadrilateral having a general shape similar to that of a parallelogram. In the vicinity of the pivot 17, the bar 19 is provided with a caster 20 which always rests on the ground Whatever the position of the divan-bed may be. The bar 19 is preferably The present invention has for its object a divan-bed l5 constituted by an angle-iron member.

6 Claims. (Cl. 5-38) or like convertible article of furniture of robust con- A lever 21 pivotally attached to the lever 14 at 22 struction and providing excellent comfort both in the in the vicinity of the pivot 18, extends generally to divan position and when used as a bed. wards the rear and upwards, and is pivoted at its other The divan-bed or like convertible article of furniture extremity at 23 on a lever 24. The lever 24 pivotally in accordance with the invention, the seat and the back :5 fixed on the bar 10 at 25 in the vicinity of the pivot of the divan of which are pivotally-fixed one on the 12, extends generally towards the rear and downwards, other along a horizontal axis so as to open out in the and is pivotally fixed on a lever 27 at 26, that is to same way as a book and thus come to lie side by side say in the vicinity of the lower end 28 of this lever. to form the bed, is characterised in that the back is This extremity 28 is provided with a caster 29 which supported on the ground through the intermediary of i,- always rests on the ground whatever the position of the a lever connected to the seat by a crank system which is divan-bed may be. The lever 27 is substantially vertical such that the said lever is substantially vertical in the in the divan position (see Fig. 1) and extends downdivan position and folds up underneath the back-seat wards and towards the front under the bar 11 in the unit in the bed position. This arrangement has the bed position (see Fig. 2). result of ensuring an effective stability of the divan- A lever 36 is pivotally fixed on the lever 27 at 28 bed in both its positions, together with smaller overall and is pivoted on the bar 11 at 31 in the vicinity of the dimensions. pivot 12.

In accordance with further special features, the crank At its opposite extremity to the extremity 28, the lever system and the lever are doubled, arranged laterally 27 is pivoted at 32 on a crutch member 33. The latter and coupled together by means of cross-stays which 3 is pivoted at 34 on the bar 11, that is to say at the exform, together with the sides of the seat and of the trernity of this bar and in the neighborhood of the back, a framework which opens and which has no rigid pivot 32. The crutch 33 is fitted at its other extremity members and is provided with a network of flexible with a caster 35, which is intended to rest on the ground strips forming a mattress, the said mattress being supin the bed position and to be spaced above the ground ported at its central portion by one or a number of rows 19 in the divan position. In all its positions, the crutch of springs resting on cradles. By virtue of this arrangemember 33 remains substantially vertical. ment, the divan-bed is extremely comfortable in both in the neighborhood of the pivot 12, the bar 11 has positions. The seat is preferably fitted with special a projecting portion 38 spaced apart from the lever 24 flexible strips interposed between the strips of the mattress, in the bed position (see Fig. 2) and the intermediate these special strips being connected between the front Position but intended t0 Come into abutcross-stay of the seat and in the cross-stay which joins ment against this lever 24 in the divan position (see the levers together so that they are stretched in the divan in Order to fiX and define this Position and 10 position and folded away in the bed position. ensure a complete stability of the divan-bed when in Further features and advantages of the invention will t is aid position. also be brought out in the description which follows A C n -a m 6 is pivoted at 31 on the bar 11 and below of one form of construction, selected by way is Provided at its e11d With a notch intended to engage of example, reference being made to the attached draw- 0 the piVOt 25 in the divan POSitiOh ings, in which: as to provide a safety locking device in this position. The Fig. 1 is a view in ide elevation of a di n-b d in two sides of the divan-bed thus constituted are coupled accordance with the invention, set up in the divan (Ogelhef y a Cross-Stay 39 which connects position; together the two bars 10 at their extremities 15, and by Fi 2 i a i imil m th t given i Fig 1 b t a cross-member 40 which couples together the extremities showing the divan-bed in the bed position; 34 of the two bars 11. In addition, a cross-member Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of the divan-bed when 41 COUPIES together the tWO levers 27 in The Vicinity this is i a inter ediat position; of the pivots 26. The cross-members 39, 40 and 41 Fig. 4 is an exploded view of an assembly forming a are preferably made from angle-iron like the a s 0 movable bed head. and 11.

In the form of mbodiment h a di bed i The mattress is constituted by an interlaced right-angle accordance with the invention comprises two symmetrical network of flexible strips Of steel 01 other suitable matesides with ro tay Ea h ide (Fi 1 a d 2) i rial coupled to the bars 10 and 11 and to the crosscomposed of two bars 10 and, 11 which are of submembers 40 y means p g There 11 he stantially the same length and are pivotally attached Seen at 42 in fi- 3 the Strips Parallel to the Crossto each other end to end at 12. The bars 10 and 11 members 39 and 40, and coupled by means of springs may be constituted by angle-irons or similar sections. 43 0 the bars 19 and and at 4 the strips m unt d at The bar 10 is arranged so as to remain substantially in right angles to the strips 42. The strips 44 are intera horizontal position, whilst the bar 11 slopes at a wide laced with the strips 42 and are coupled by means of angle in the divan position (see Fig. 1) of the divansprings 45 to the cross-members 39 and 40. It will be 3 noted that a mattress of this kind has no rigid members, except at its periphery, and this ensures excellent comfort.

The mattress is supported at its central portion by two rows of coiled springs 46 and 47, these rows being parallel to the cross-members 3% and 40. The row of springs 46 is arranged slightly in front of the pivots 32, whilst the other row 47 is arranged slightly to the rear of these pivots.

The springs 46 are fixed under the points at which a strip 42 crosses the strips 44, and are supported on a horizontal bar 48 parallel to the cross-mernbers 39 and 40. The bar 48 is spaced apart from the mattress and has the shape of a cradle, being fixed to the bars 10. The same arrangement is provided for the other row of springs 47 which rest on a cradle 49 fixed to the bars 11. Strips 50, similar to the strips 44 are arranged alternately with the latter in a parallel direction, and are interlaced with the front portion of the strips 42. The strips 50 are fixed to the cross-members 39 at 51, extend between the springs and are coupled by means of springs 52 to the cross-member 41.

On the two angle-iron members 19 which act as slides, a drawer 53 is slidably-mounted and is engaged under the cross-member 39 and the mattress 42 44-50. This drawer is more particularly provided for the reception of covers, bedding and bed-clothes, pillows and the like.

A removable bed-head 54 is provided (see Fig. 4) to be arranged along the bars Ml and 11 at either one or the other end of the bed. This bed-head d consists of a flat plate of the same length approximately as the sum of the lengths of the bars it? and Ill. The height of the plate is chosen to be greater than the thickness of the mattress 55 so that the plate can form a stop for the pillows (not shown). The plate 54 is provided with a notched portion cut in the central part of its lower edge the notch being arranged to surround the axes 31, 12 and 25. In addition, a shaft end 57 is fixed roughly in the centre of the plate 54- and is intended to receive the slot 37 in the crank-arm 36.

In the bed position, the plate 54 is inserted between the mattress 55 and the angle-iron members It) and 11 and the crank-arm 36 is hooked on the pivot 57, the said crank-arm extending along the side of the plate 54 opposite to the mattress, so that the plate is firmly held in both directions. The pivot 57 is so arranged that this operation can be carried out from either the one end of the bed or the other.

When it is desired to change over to the divan position, it is only necessary to unhook the crank-arm 36 and remove the plate 54. The latter can, for example, be put away in the drawer 53. In the divan position, the stop 38 is so arranged that the bars 1d are slightly inclined downwards and towards the rear so that the front part of the mattress which forms the seat slopes back towards the rear, which gives a very comfortable position. The elastic support of the seat itself is formed by the stretched strips 50 and the strips 42, whilst the strips 44 and 42 constitute the elastic support of the back.

It is to be noted that in this position, the tension of the springs 52 ensures that the crutch members 33 are completely folded into line with the levers 27.

Movable arm-rests 60 (see Fig. l) are preferably provided in such manner as to be fitted in the divan position, while they are removed and put away in the drawer 53 in the bed position. Each arm-rest 60 comprises a forkshaped extremity 61 which engages round a pin 62 on the lever 27. In addition, a pin 63 is fixed on the armrest, and is intended to be engaged in an elongated slot 64 in the bar 11.

In order to put the divan-bed into the bed position, the crank-arms 36 are unhooked and the cross-member 40 is pushed towards the rear. This movement has the effect of causing the levers 27 to rock towards the front and, when the bars 11 take up a horizontal position in line with the bars 10, the casters of the crotch members rest on the ground, as do also the casters 29 and 20 which ensures a perfect stability for the bed. In this position, the strips 50 are slackened and folded downwards, the mattress being formed by the strips 42 and 4d, and by the springs 46 and 47. In order to change over the divan-bed into the divan position, it is only necessary to lift the cross-member 41.

It will, of course, be understood that the invention is not limited to the form of construction described and shown, but embraces in its scope all alternative forms in the embodiment of its various elements.

What I claim is:

l. A divan-bed comprising in combination a seat element and a back element, said elements being adjacent along an intermediate horizontal axis and pivoted to each other along said axis, said elements defining themselves the whole bed surface when the back element is lowered around said axis to form a horizontal extension of said seat element, a first supporting means for supporting the seat element, said first supporting means forming with said seat element a hinged leverage quadrilateral assembly, a second supporting meansfor supporting the back element, and connecting means having two members hinged with respect to each other and hinged to said assembly and to said second supporting means.

2. A divan-bed as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said supporting means forms with the element supported thereby a hinged leverage quadrilateral assembly having two levers respectively pivoted on the corresponding element and extending downwardly therefrom in any position of the divan-bed and a third lever, the two ends of which are pivoted on the said first two levers respectively.

3. A divan-bed as defined in claim 1 wherein the two elements have tensioned flexible strips in a lattice forming a mattress, further comprising additional flexible strips interposed between said lattice strips, said additional strips being connected between the front end of the seat element and the supporting means of the back element whereby the said additional strips are operative in the divan position and inoperative in the bed position.

4. A divan-bed comprising in combination a seat element, a back element, said elements being pivoted to each other, a first supporting means for said seat element, said first supporting means forming with said seat element a hinged leverage quadrilateral assembly, bearing means for grounding a front portion of said assembly, a second supporting means for said back element, means connecting a rear portion of said assembly to said second supporting means, said second supporting means having two levers, one of said levers being a rear bearing in the divan position and a central bearing in the bed position, and the other lever forming a rear bearing only in the bed position.

5. A divan-bed comprising a seat element and a back element, said elements being pivoted to each other and movable between a bed position and a divan position, a member carried by said back element and movable to a lower plane in the bed position than in the divan position, a main lattice mattress common to both elements and connected to the periphery thereof, and an additional auxiliary lattice mattress for said element, said additional auxiliary lattice mattress being connected to the front end of said seat element and to said member and being operative in the divan position and inoperative in the bed position.

6. A divan-bed comprising a seat element, a back element, said elements being pivoted to each other, a first supporting means for seat element, said first supporting means forming with said seat element a hinged leverage assembly adjustable between a high level seat position and a low level seat position, bearing means for grounding a front portion of said assembly, a second supporting means for said back element, means connecting a rear portionof said assembly to said second support- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Crouch, et a1. Dec. 22, 1908 Ennis Dec. 3, 1912 6 Krause May 21, 1918 Kiesler Aug. 22, 1939 Rowe July 11, 1950 Woller Oct. 27, 1953 Ducrot Mar. 30, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 15, 1932 France Apr. 15, 1953 

